Pelotonia to form race team

Pelotonia, the charity bike tour for cancer research, is forming an eight-man elite racing team to compete in professional and amateur events in the East and Midwest.

Pelotonia, the charity bike tour for cancer research, is forming an eight-man elite racing team to compete in professional and amateur events in the East and Midwest.

Elite riders are top-level amateurs who also compete against professionals in National Racing Calendar and USA Criterium events.

The first race for the Pelotonia Cycling Team will be April 4-5 at the Philadelphia 2-Day Cycling Classic.

Seven of the riders are Category 1 and 2 cyclists, the highest levels for amateurs in the United States. They are: Elliot Gaunt of Lock Haven, Pa.; Turner Johnson of Renfrew, Pa.; Adam Kahler of West Chester, Pa.; Alexander Pratt of Columbus; Anthony Rienzi of Cleveland; Jason Wood of Doylestown, Pa.; and Jonathan Wood of Canal Winchester. Pratt will be the team's director.

Team member Griffin Weiler, of Dublin, is a triathlete.

The team will be racing in Ohio, New York, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, finishing the season in September with the Univest Grand Prix in Doylestown, Pa.

The Pelotonia Tour is a cycling event between Columbus and Athens to raise money for cancer research at Ohio State University. Executive Director Tom Lennox said the racing team will help publicize the fundraiser and recruit riders for the event, which will be held Aug. 13-15.

The team will hold training rides around central Ohio for tour participants this spring and summer.